Tailings-disposal apparatus.



i. S. CLIFFORD & F.'C. TOMPKiNS. mums DISPOSAL APPARATUS. APPLICATEON FILED MAR. I2. 3918.

1 ,27 1 1 34. Patented July 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 I. s CLIFFORD it E. c. TOMPKIN. TMUNGS DISPOSAL APPARATUS. APPUCATUN FILED MAR.I2.19|8. 1,271,1 34.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

A... r W.-7

IRWIN S. CLIFFORD AND FRED C. TOMPKINS, OF MIAMI ARIZONA.

TAILINGS-DISPOSAL APPARATUS.

Application filed March 12, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, IRWIN S. (furrow) and FRED C. Tomrnms, citizens of the United States, residing at Miami, in the county of Gila and State of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TailingsDisposal Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This in vention relates to aseparating and automatic discharge apparatus adapted to separate the sand from the water in the tailings from mills and. to discharge the sand into such position that it may he utilized in automatically building up the tailings dam while the water discharged at such point that after the proper settlement has taken place the water may he used over again in the treatment of ore,

The utility of the invention will be bet.- ter appreciated if existing conditions are understood. Under the laws of many states. it is no longer permissible for mining companies to permit the tailings to Wash into and drift down the rivers and streams. since these tailings contaminate the water, kill vegetation and ii the we carries enough of the tailings, becomes in jurious to the stock which drink it. Therefore, many States have by statute compelled the mining companies to keep these taiiings out of the streams. One company in this locality now throws into their tailings pond about twenty thousand tons of tailings per day, these tailiugs being arried from the mill in the launder or troughs which conduct the water. 'ihese tailnigs eonslst.

largely of sand and water and unless the sand is separated from the water, there will be enough water in the tailings to carry them down the cations into creeks and thence to the rivers, during high water, thereby subjecting'the company to expensive suits for damages.

The present invention automatically separates the sand from the Water, dumps the sand into such position as to build up a dam for the retention of the Water or to create a tailings pond and discharges the water well out toward the center of the pond.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a front. elevation of an automatic separating and sand disehergin ap. paratus constructed in accordance Wit the invention Specification of Letters Patent.

per end of this partition Patented July 2, 1918.

Serial No. 221.948.

Fig. 2 is a vertical. sectional view therethrough: i

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of a joint hereinafter described, and

Figs. a and 5 are detailed views of counterweight hangers hereinafter described.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates spaced hanger brackets across the front faces of which L-shaped angle (3 extends. "lwo forwardly extending L-shapwl angles 7 are secured to the angle 6 by interposed plates 8. Braces extend from the brackets 3 to the angles 7. A pair of L-shapod angles It) supported upo'n the angles 7 and a rod ll Passes between them. This rod has nut; 1.2 threaded thereupon. above and below lhe angles 10 and it carries at its lower end a tapering valve plug 13. The rod ll and valve plu v vertical a justnient by means of the nuts 12. g A sheet steel cone 14 is carried by hangers 15 and these hangers are pivoted at 16 to linlrs 17. These links comprise spaced bars v hich are separated at their upper ends by sleeves 18 through which lJOllg 19 p and these sleeves have a hearing in rec see 20 of counterweight levers 21. said le ers being pivoted at 22 between the outer ends of t e angles 10. Countcrweight hangers 23 (see Figs. 4 and 5) have ends 21% adapted to enga e the outer ends of the counterweight overs and they have stirrup-like lower portions 25 adapted to receive weights 25.

The cone 14 is spanned by a guide bar 26 which maintains pro er alinenient between the cone and the r0 1 1. The valve 13 is adapted to have a seating in a valve seat. sleeve 27 which is held in position in the lower end of the cone by means of one or more set. screws 28. These set screw are carried by a collar 29, b which the proper rigidity is imparted to tie lower end of the c cone.

A partition wall 30 at the upper side. of the cone forms a compartment 31. The up Short at, the top of the cone so that as the .water rises in the cone it will overflow into the compartment 31. This compartment is provided with a cement bottom to prevent cutting-out of the same. The water which overflows into this compartment is dis 13 are fixed, though capable oi" *all terminates charged throu' rh suitable connections indicated at 32. well out into the tailings pond.

It is to be understood that the apparatus herein shown and described is disposed in position for the water from the launder or (rough from the mill to be discharged into the cone. eighty-five per cent. water and fifteen per cent. sand in the tailingzs. although this varies. The sand will sink to the bottom of the cone while the clearest; water will overflow into the compartment 31 and be discharged through the conncctionsBQ Well out toward the center of the tai'lings pond, a5 above stated. sand has collected in the cone to overhaulance the countcrweights 25, the cone will move bodily downward and discharge a portion of this sand. The apparatus is disposed in such position as to discharge the sand above and upon the tailings dam so that the dam is automatically kept up.

M1 thc present. time most of the mining comi'mnics are under great expense in maintaining; men, teams and the like to kec up thetadams and some companies have een forced to employ steam shovels in this Work. Thc present. invention performs the threefold object of keeping up the dam. keeping the (ailing; out of the streams and rivers and rcndcrin; it possible to use the Water owl and over again in their operations. This last. is a point of considerable importancc since, with many of these companies, water is scarce and expensive.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited t the precise construction set forth but that it includes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described our invention what. we claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a pair of countcrwcightcd levers, a tank suspended thcrebetwccn, a fixed valve with which said tank cooperates and an ov crtlow located at the upper portion of said tank.

2. A lltivltft! ol the character described omprising upporting frame work, a pair of counterweightcd lcvcrs pixjoted thereon, a conical rc cptaclc lying between and susended from said lcicrs. a tixcd rod carried There will be approximately \Vhen a sufficient amount of b) said framework and a valve carried hv said fixed rod. the weights acting to mowthe reccptaclc into such position as to engage the valve and close the discharge from the receptacle. and the receptacle being movable under the weight of accumulated sand therein to dischargipg position. an overflow coin partmpnt within said receptacle adjacent the top thereof and a lateral discharge from said overflow compartment.

A device of the character described comprising: a supporting frame, a pair of oppoaitel projecting. pivoted. counterwcightcd levers carried by said frame, said lcvcrs having concave seats formed in their upper faces adjacent their inner ends, convex members seated in said recesses, links hung from said convex members. a conical receptacle. members by which the conical receptacle is supported. said members being pivotally connected to the lower ends of the links, a vertically adjustable rod carried by the frame. a valve carried by the rod and disposed within the receptacle and a latera overflow from the receptacle.

4. In a device of the rim actor described the combination with a fixed valve, a. vertirally movable countcrweighted receptacle cooperating therewith and acting under the weight of material contained therein to move away from said valve to thereby discharge the contents of the receptacle, an opening formed in the side wall of the receptacle below the top thereof, a compartment, the upper edge of which terminates below the up per edge of the receptacle and which embraces the opening in the wall of the reeep tacle, a lateral discharge spout carried by and bodily movable with the receptacle. and leading from said openin and a discharge conduit independent of tie receptacle disposed below and in spaced relation to the spout whereby vertical movement of the re ceptacle is permitted While the relation between the spout and the conduit is maintained.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in the presence of two Witnesses.

IRWIN S. CLIFFORD. a FRED C. TOMPKINS. lVitnesses H. M. Fos'rnn, J. P. DUUGHERT'Y. 

